The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

Miliband forgets name of Scottish Labour candidate

Labour leader refers to frontrunner Ken Macintosh as "the third candidate".

By George Eaton Published 29 September 2011 16:00

File this one under "embarrassing political videos." In a BBC interview this morning, Ed Miliband was unable to name all of the candidates for the Scottish Labour leadership (he should have read The Staggers).He correctly identified Labour MP Tom Harris and MSP Johann Lamont, but then referred to "the third candidate who is putting himself forward". The "third candidate" is Ken Macintosh, who, unfortunately for Miliband, is the bookies' favourite to win the election.

Miliband's gaffe is symptomatic of Labour's complacent attitude towards Scotland. In a leader published before the Scottish election last May, the NS warned Miliband not to underestimate the SNP and argued that it was a profound mistake to treat the contest as a referendum on the Westminster coalition. As we predicted, Alex Salmond's party went on to win a majority, an extraordinary feat given that the AMS voting system was adopted with the explicit intention of preventing any party from doing so.

Since then, support for the SNP has continued to surge, with polls putting them on 49 per cent in Holyrood (to Labour's 28 per cent) and 42 per cent in Westminster (to Labour's 33 per cent). Salmond's party has replaced Labour as the hegemonic force in Scottish politics. In the meantime, support for independence has reached its highest level for nearly three years, with 39 per cent of Scots in favour and 38 per cent opposed. For Labour, Scottish independence would be politically disastrous. It would deprive the party of 42 of its 256 Westminster seats in a single stroke.

For this reason, it is essential that Labour elects a leader capable of challenging Salmond, a brilliant politician and a formidable campaigner. How dispiriting then that Miliband appears so uninterested in the race.

Hat-tip: James Kirkup.

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Tags: Ed Miliband Scotland

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26 comments

Thu, 2011-09-29 22:16 — Dickie1

This is a bit of a non-story. The man has been in conference all week, and everyone has moments when they forget things. Judging him by this is like reading tea-leaves.

Fri, 2011-09-30 22:20 — Mark MacLachlan (not verified)

Re Blair being Scottish, can anyone tell me how many homes he's bought back home in Scotland with his new found wealth?

Thu, 2011-09-29 22:53 — Seon (not verified)

Labour just don't get it... Though it is non-entities like Miliband together with right-wing maniacs and fellow millionaires like Clegg and Cameron who will push Scotland into independence. Good news for Scotland though as its difficult to see a post-independence progressive Scotland going with stuff like Trident, Iraq, PFI and nuclear power to name some of Labours 'gifts' to us.

http://tocasaid.blogspot.com/2011/09/weak-in-politics.html

Thu, 2011-09-29 23:05 — Bek (not verified)

Oh come on, how many hours has Ed worked this week? Give the guy a break, he's a human being not a memory machine.

Fri, 2011-09-30 23:54 — Scotsfox (not verified)

Blair was elected to an English constituency and did not need a single Scottish seat for any of his 3 "victories" - The English voted Blair in. And Gormless Bruin is as hated in Scotland as he is in Engerland.

Sat, 2011-10-01 00:41 — Seon (not verified)

Interesting to read some of the almost racist hysteria here from people I assume think of themselves as progressive. Unless the NS in now an EDL mouthpiece.

England has historically been 'warmongering' despite the use of Scots and others as cannon fodder. Certainly before the Act of Union, Scotland traded peacefully with her European neighbours. After the Union, we were at war with them because England was. In recent times, I'd also argue that Scotland has tended to vote and poll against the likes of Trident, Iraq, nuclear weapons and nuke power. I'd say that Scotland's pro-independence parties - the SNP and the Greens - are also the most progressive parliamentary parties in UK politics - especially given Labour's sorry record on the above issues as well as incarcerating asylum seeker children in prisons, selling hospitals and schools to the private sector and limiting the building of social housing.

Fri, 2011-09-30 00:28 — David Lindsay

How many people in Scotland could name all three candidates for Leader of the Scottish Labour Party? How many people in the Scottish Labour Party could name them all? But who leads at Holyrood is immaterial to Labour because Holyrood is immaterial to Labour, just as Westminster is immaterial to the SNP.

Labour in Scotland now exists to secure for its favoured sons the paid peerages that Scottish seats at Westminster have now become, except that conscientious members of the House of Lords have rather more to do and can no longer automatically hand over their seats to their children.

Voters in Scotland clearly understand. They elect the SNP to an overall majority at Holyrood while returning, from exactly the same communities even if the constituency boundaries are now different, a battalion of apparently irremovable Labour MPs. Well, of course they do. And both parties are perfectly happy with that. Well, of course they are.

Fri, 2011-09-30 02:40 — Suzanne (not verified)

Seon,
have to agree. It's touch and go as it is but a few more years of Thatcherite economics coupled with Labour's poor organisation and arrogance in Scotland means it's practically guaranteed independence is on the way.
I'm not a nationalist by nature but I've had enough of right wing UK politics and will be voting independence as will most of the people I know.
It appears that that's what most English want also so most people could end up getting what they want for a change.

Fri, 2011-09-30 06:07 — Stuart Eels (not verified)

Suzanne

If he's born in Edinburugh he's not Swedish is he? just as he's not English I'm glad to say. You could well be right about independence, I started out merely wanting a United States of Britain, thinking it would be a shame to break up completely. I now see so no other possible way forward.

Sat, 2011-10-01 11:00 — Stuart Eels (not verified)

Scotsfox

Elected to an English constituency, now speaking American/English is the man who was born in Edinburugh and is Scottish. Bruin, who I take to be a slightly amusing nickname for Brown wrecked the UK economy and in the years to come will be regarded as our worst PM.

Seon

You invent racism to cloud the issues of the mess left by Blair and Brown, if it wasn't for the "warmonging" English under John Churchill the entire world would be a far worst place than it is today!

Fri, 2011-09-30 08:01 — Luddite (not verified)

Labour disastrous and ill-conceived devolution is about to bite-it-in it's arse. There's no greater cheer leader for Scottish independence than the English. If the Scots choose Independence and many hope they will. Where will that leave Labour? But more interestingly, where will that leave Scotland. Europe is falling apart and is riddled with debt. So no save-port there. Alax Salmond knows full well he can carry-on politicking while the English keep paying the bills. But one day soon he will have to call that election, and 4 millions Scot's will have to choose between State socialism or the successful Union with England. The English aren't bothered either way, but the Labour party is, they've got the most to lose.

Fri, 2011-09-30 11:57 — Robert Taggart

Scotland forgot Liebore last May !

Thu, 2011-09-29 16:07 — Dave C (not verified)

"that Miliband appears so uninterested in the race"

He's hardly uninterested: he just couldn't summon a name that was no doubt on the tip his tongue. John Redwood not bothering to learn the lines of the Welsh National Anthem was a much bigger gaffe.

Thu, 2011-09-29 16:14 — Sophie (not verified)

Well it is not really significant - Ed is doing the right thing by focusing on England as that is where the election is going to be won or lost; home as it is to 85%+ of the UK population. Once elected I'm sure he will get around to meeting the winner but remembering obscure contenders in Scotland is like remembering the opposition group leader names on English councils. Scotland does not matter.

Thu, 2011-09-29 16:30 — Alicia Murray (not verified)

Thank you Sophie for letting us Scots know that we do not matter. I hope your post is seen by thousands of Unionist Scots. You may have done us a great service.

Fri, 2011-09-30 13:57 — Iain (not verified)

Suzanne - agree. Scotland has a great and fascinatint history but that doesn't play a part in my views of present day life. Scotland is currently tied to a right-wing and constantly warmongering neighbour. I'd rather spend Scotland's wealth on good transport, schools and hospitals than more weapons. Labour has let Scotland down. Glasgow, which has been under Labour rule for ever, is as bad and poor as it always was.

Some of the comments here show what Labour really thinks - like Sophie above.

Time for Scotland to go it alone and hopefully a vibrant and progressive Labour Party will challenge for government after independence.

Fri, 2011-09-30 14:22 — Stuart Eels (not verified)

There you go Iain, accusing us of being a right wing constantly warmongering neighbour. Now who was it that took us into Iraq and Afghanistan? Tony Blair who is Scottish aided and abetted by Gordon Brown who is Scottish, who took us into Libya? David Cameron who is also Scottish.

If you really feel such hatred toward us get off your backside and get campaining for your "Independence!"

Thu, 2011-09-29 17:21 — Mrs,M L Bonwick-Jones (not verified)

Ok, I am not too fond of the man, but now people are just picking on him! the names of 3 people were a lot for him to remember, and the person who writes his speeches didnot put the names down for him to read out and remember- he only says what he is told to say,and Ed is ok with the bbc because he tells them ( Andrew Marr) what to ask before interviews- Give the man a break he is only human!!!!!

Thu, 2011-09-29 17:37 — Stuart Eels (not verified)

Alicia Murray

Quick tell as many as you can, seriously Sophie you obviously know nothing about Labour over the last 13 years. They abused the English in every way that they could but what would you expect with Blair a Scot as PM and Brown a Scot as Chancellor and PM, who also signed the Scottish Claim of Right.

Fri, 2011-10-07 17:41 — elrob

McCrocodile!

Thu, 2011-09-29 19:31 — Gregor Addison (not verified)

Perhaps the real reason Ed Milliband could not remember the name of Ken Mackintosh is that the party apparatchik (high-heid-yins) are too busy supporting their man, Tom Harris MP. Under the guise of "autonomy", Scottish Labour are centralising the party north of the border under a feudal lord (who is a backbench Westminster MP). As part of this centralism, Labour is currently having its night of the long knives, with 17 Labour councillors in Glasgow and 2 in North Lanarkshire being deselected, after having been described as "deadwood". In typical Labour style, it's autonomy from the top down.

Thu, 2011-09-29 19:42 — Lox (not verified)

That statement was both stupid and chauvinistic, Sophie. Do you think Ed M is relaxed about the prospect of losing even a handful of the red-rosetted lobby fodder so many of my compatriots vote for?

Fri, 2011-09-30 18:44 — Luddite (not verified)

Iain. Scotland does have a fascinating history so whats your point? Iain Scotland also has wide and open empty spaces.. That's more than plenty of room for the millions of legal and illegal immigrants that the Scottish Labour party have allowed to settle in England. With you been an open and 'none-sectarian' country would easily find room to accommodate them all.

Thu, 2011-09-29 21:15 — Suzanne (not verified)

Blair may have been born in Scotland but that does not mean he's Scottish. If you listen to him speak there is very litlle you could call Scottish about Blair

Fri, 2011-09-30 19:44 — Don McC (not verified)

Yeah Mr Dick, only having the support of 39% of the electorate does mean independence is fairly unpopular. How many political parties wished they had the support of 39% of the electorate?

At least your name's appropriate.

Thu, 2011-09-29 21:21 — John B Dick (not verified)

Salmond's sensible enough to give up on independence for the forseeable future because it's fairly unpopular with the electorate, so the SNP is shifting its primary focus to devomax instead.